How do we bring new shooters into the sport?
- Thread starter Terry
- Start date
Alex Wheeler
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Give them good jobs so they can afford a hobby. Seriously, it an expencive sport. Ecspecially if you have to travel to matches. I shoot at the club level in South Fl. The closest IBS match is probably an eight hour drive. I'm 28 and have been shooting long range about 2.5 yrs. If I had kids there would be no way I could afford this. I really think its that simple. Also, I'm lucky to live an hour from a 1k yd range. If it was two or three I couldn't justify it. Probably not what you wanted to hear.
i would think cost would be at the top of the list then if you can get the proper items you have to travel to a range & shoot against seasioned veterans in most cases with yrs. of acculmating all needed stuff to shoot it seems to me its gotten to be a very costly sport like hunting most young people i know are trying to raise families and just live if i had to start now i couldnt unless you just take up a collection and get an interested young person that does show interest& supply him or her i dread to think this but its declining as is hunting in my area because of no hunting signs how we over come this i have no answer just see us losing a very important part of our heritage tell me it aint sooo regards shooter63
A workable factory class that interested shooters can shoot what they already have. The catch 22 is very few clubs have been able (or willingness by the majority of the regular competitors) to make it workable. I have heard the UBR sanctioned clubs come pretty close....but I don't have first hand knowledge if this is the case.
Blaster-37
1000 Yard
At the matchs, perhaps have a pot for the novice/first year shooters.
Nobody likes to work hard and spend lots just to to get their humbled hat handed to them and a thanks for your donation from the seasoned veterans.
We shoot against ourselves and each other. We should also reward the newcomer for their efforts. Step outside your box and stick your hand out.
If you get a chance, let them shoot your tuned rifle. When they hit that first clay pigeon at 1000, that usually brings them back as that is not easily forgotten. That and a site like this to answer their fundamental questions. No bullies please, nobody is impressed.
Greg
Nobody likes to work hard and spend lots just to to get their humbled hat handed to them and a thanks for your donation from the seasoned veterans.
We shoot against ourselves and each other. We should also reward the newcomer for their efforts. Step outside your box and stick your hand out.
If you get a chance, let them shoot your tuned rifle. When they hit that first clay pigeon at 1000, that usually brings them back as that is not easily forgotten. That and a site like this to answer their fundamental questions. No bullies please, nobody is impressed.
Greg
At least with the shooters that I have tried to introduce into the sport the huge cost of getting geared up has been the biggest hurdle. At Big Piney Sportsmans they have a Factory and Tactical with bipod class that has helped me get a few buddies to tag along to a match. I see a lot of guys shooting the Savage LRPV's or something similar with a bipod that would otherwise not be at the match and I bet 50% of them will own a light gun within a couple of seasons.
Corey
Corey
Anyone give a thought to having a handicap match? Give those guys who don't have the $3000 rifles and $40,000 worth of reloading equipment a chance? From what I understand, the hunter class was started so guys with a good hunting rifle could compete, but it became a race to build rifles to that are like stock car racing, which are not stock at all. I would love to compete, but logistics, vacation time, and cost keeps me from competing. I will in the future build myself a bench rifle, just to play with at the range, and continue to teach myself more about shooting.
I have got several new shooters i lent a gun and everything else to and let them shoot their first match.But shooting is not cheap and where we shoot the equipment and knowledge had taken to where its all money or knowledge or both Win .My thought it not the gun its the (Shooter). Fix i feel is make classes on the (Shooter) . Rules only make money shine. (1) class by shooters ability. (2 )equipment in some cases. (3) factory gun may work but the rules again. (4) 5% of all the shoots are won by the same (Shooters). Hard to bring a new shooter in when the (Winners) have more money in their scope or action or rests then the shooter has in his whole gun.Classes is the only fair way. Pro , Armature ,Novice. Win 3 times and move up. Rules only cost money.One other thing is sell tickets on a free shoot coaching gun and everything provided
Good shooting Larry
Good shooting Larry
Price is very prohibitive. Equally so is not having a class type setup. Consider NRA highpower. It is classed by percentile of possible score. So a shoot should have class winners and overall winners..
I got into F/TR instead of benchrest for this reason. It all becomes an arms race no matter what. But I can take my Savage or AR 15, go shoot an FTR match and know that I can be competitive in the marksmen or sharpshooter class and then progress as my abilities AND my equipment grows.
Open practice days or a "newcomer" day should be a part if a clubs calendar at least twice a year.
I was so nervous my first match and made a lot of mistakes because a match is geared to competition....not showing the newcomer the ropes of how a match is conducted.
I got into F/TR instead of benchrest for this reason. It all becomes an arms race no matter what. But I can take my Savage or AR 15, go shoot an FTR match and know that I can be competitive in the marksmen or sharpshooter class and then progress as my abilities AND my equipment grows.
Open practice days or a "newcomer" day should be a part if a clubs calendar at least twice a year.
I was so nervous my first match and made a lot of mistakes because a match is geared to competition....not showing the newcomer the ropes of how a match is conducted.
I took over the fclass match for my club in 09. At the time it was about 10-15 shooters ,all old guys and unorganized as possible. I made several changes by creating 4 classes so anyone with anything could compete with their level of equipment. The old guard has their benches and the new have proper fclass format. A first place medal for each class and things took off from there. A honor board for perfect scores gives a goal as well as competition for best average for the year. We break bread together after the match while we award the winners. Our average age is 20 yrs lower now and I'm turning it over to a capable 30 yr old man.
All organizations will perish with the founder's if leadership isn't passed to the next generation. Mike
All organizations will perish with the founder's if leadership isn't passed to the next generation. Mike
Several shooters at the club where I do load development have started shooting F-Class at Camp Pendleton, once they were made aware that it existed and that we welcome new shooters. My usual recommendation is to start with our 600 yard Mid Range matches, so they can get accustomed to the match routine before trying 1000 yards. A .308 with almost any barrel length can be competitive at 600 and the wind is not a intimidating. Still, there is nothing easy about 600 yard matches and it is great preparation for 1000.
Cost is a big part of shooting. The cost will not be going down any time soon. Heck even is gas goes back to $0.35 a gallon and stays there the costs will not go down.
Shooting paper is not that much fun. Even if you have a great range.
Most want instant gratification. Shooting junk rapidly gives that to many.
Rules exist to keep people safe but I will not ever do BR as I can not easily remove my bolt.
Have a brake? You can not shoot not even at the far end of the range. Yes we have the room but it is distracting.
You can not feed from a mag. That is for bolt or semi.
You have a hunting rifle? You have to have it set at 6x or whatever the power setting they told me.
You have a hunting rifle but it is too heavy so you have to shoot in this class.
I am ok with most of that but do not even post my scores. We have to post them.
You have an AR? Take your bolt out.
Is an oci ok? Take your bolt out.
There are as many reasons not to shoot paper as there is to shoot.
Shooting paper is not that much fun. Even if you have a great range.
Most want instant gratification. Shooting junk rapidly gives that to many.
Rules exist to keep people safe but I will not ever do BR as I can not easily remove my bolt.
Have a brake? You can not shoot not even at the far end of the range. Yes we have the room but it is distracting.
You can not feed from a mag. That is for bolt or semi.
You have a hunting rifle? You have to have it set at 6x or whatever the power setting they told me.
You have a hunting rifle but it is too heavy so you have to shoot in this class.
I am ok with most of that but do not even post my scores. We have to post them.
You have an AR? Take your bolt out.
Is an oci ok? Take your bolt out.
There are as many reasons not to shoot paper as there is to shoot.
We have been having the same problems in the IHMSA. One opinion I agreed with was that the youth of today aren't interested in the commitment it takes to be a good shooter in any discipline. Now days they just go buy semi autos and see how fast they can empty the magazine. The IHMSA is a sport where you can buy a gun that is not too expensive and compete against others that have equal skills. As your skills improve(and so the cost of the pistols) you can move up. We can't even hardly get new shooters to a match! We have offered our guns to them and ammo and they still won't come out. I'll bet the average age of an IHMSA shooter is in their mid fiftys now. It's a shame because what we do is a heck of a lot easier than Benchrest! Just my .02
How? One way is to start a local F-class League.
Our club has a weekly informal F-class league. We shoot once every monday evening (after work). Each league night the shooting is conducted as an NRA match; 1 x 3 relays, same line protocol. Scoring is done, but no scores collected.
Newcomers (and the public) are invited to come and shoot. We have an orientation every spring before the season starts, and start at 300 yards, with a heavy emphasis on learning and instruction. After two weeks we move to 600.
At last spring's orientation, we had 50+ new shooters. Most of the new folks show up with their scoped deer rifles and a bipod. Some decide competitive shooting isn't for them. Some continue on, and a few become die-hards.
We have a solid growing cadre of 40-50 guys (and a few ladies) who are there week in week out. Some of the folks are super serious and compete statewide and regionally, and some of the guys just like to shoot. It's fun.
-nosualc
Our club has a weekly informal F-class league. We shoot once every monday evening (after work). Each league night the shooting is conducted as an NRA match; 1 x 3 relays, same line protocol. Scoring is done, but no scores collected.
Newcomers (and the public) are invited to come and shoot. We have an orientation every spring before the season starts, and start at 300 yards, with a heavy emphasis on learning and instruction. After two weeks we move to 600.
At last spring's orientation, we had 50+ new shooters. Most of the new folks show up with their scoped deer rifles and a bipod. Some decide competitive shooting isn't for them. Some continue on, and a few become die-hards.
We have a solid growing cadre of 40-50 guys (and a few ladies) who are there week in week out. Some of the folks are super serious and compete statewide and regionally, and some of the guys just like to shoot. It's fun.
-nosualc
[br]nosualc said:
I was wondering how you shoot at night until I saw you are north of the arctic circle in Minnesota. It's that whole twenty-four hour daylight thing.
Back when I was shooting service rifle I told my friend he could use my rifle and I would provide match ammo. I just wanted someone to come with me. He never did go. Hell what more do you want? I did tell him that after this year if he did like it he could keep using my rifle but I would like some help with the ammo at least loading it. I told him I was cool with it as each shot only cost me x. Nope he would not go.
I wanted to get back into it and was trying to get my brother to shoot also. He would not do it because you can not shoot from a mag. He said it is stupid to have a semi auto rifle and single load it. It really is. I have asked many times if I could and not count my score. I was told and it is on the us rifle teams many times. These are match rifles not service rifles no mater what they look like and as match rifles blah blah blah...
It all pushes people away.
I wanted to get back into it and was trying to get my brother to shoot also. He would not do it because you can not shoot from a mag. He said it is stupid to have a semi auto rifle and single load it. It really is. I have asked many times if I could and not count my score. I was told and it is on the us rifle teams many times. These are match rifles not service rifles no mater what they look like and as match rifles blah blah blah...
It all pushes people away.
Well, people, it sound like you really should be shooting tactical matches. They are popular, allow muzzle brakes, shooting from magazines, steel targets, generally have better prizes, etc. I shot run & gun type matches in the eighties and enjoyed them. If it burns powder and doesn't hurt anyone, it is probably a good thing. [br]
I don't shoot benchrest. That doesn't mean it's not a good sport. It's just different. The various shooting sports developed to meet a need and will likely continue to do so. F-Class is a recent success story within High Power. But, if you don't like the rules in any particular discipline, there is an easy solution.
I don't shoot benchrest. That doesn't mean it's not a good sport. It's just different. The various shooting sports developed to meet a need and will likely continue to do so. F-Class is a recent success story within High Power. But, if you don't like the rules in any particular discipline, there is an easy solution.
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